By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Maccabi Tel Aviv is the first finalist of the season in the Israeli League after sweeping Hapoel Eilat with an 80-79 win in Game 2 of the semifinals.
Chris Jones paced the efforts of Giannis Sfairopoulos’ squad with 27 points (10-16 FG), 6 rebounds and 6 assists in 34 minutes and lifted his team to victory despite a challenging first half.
Scottie Wilbekin added 15 points for Maccabi, while Othello Hunter and Omri Casspi posted 9 points apiece.
Casey Prather led Hapoel with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists before getting injured (patellar ligament tear according to the club) in the closing minutes and Markel Brown had 21 points.
Maccabi will meet the winner of the Hapoel Holon – Gilboa Galil pair in the final, with the latter leading the semifinals series 1-0.